(Note: Rookies not included).
With Tom Brady at the helm, the Patriots in recent seasons have largely given the ground game little more than a passing glance, and with Brady and his impressive stable of receivers, who could blame them? In 2012 however, second-year RB Stevan Ridley's improvement forced head coach Bill Belichick to tweak the playbook to take advantage of Ridley's skills. His 1,263 yards rushing ranked him 7th league-wide and his 12 TDs tied him for third. Even though the Pats fell to Baltimore in the AFC Championship game, look for Ridley to become an even more integral part of their offense.
Denver WR Demaryius Thomas had a decent 2011 season, most notably as being former Broncos QB Tim Tebow's favorite target, but when Denver signed Peyton Manning in the off-season, Thomas' stock zoomed. As speedy as any wideout in the league, Thomas and Manning quickly developed a rapport and the third-year Georgia Tech product nearly tripled his 2011 numbers, hauling in 94 passes for 1,434 yards and 10 TDs as the Broncos earned the AFC's No. 1 seed with a 13-3 W-L mark. Expect this tandem to continue to be among the league's most productive for the next few seasons.
One player who didn't begin to garner attention until late in the season was QB Colin Kaepernick of the NFC Champion and Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers. Barely able to get on the field throughout his rookie (2011) season and the majority of 2012, the Nevada product finally got his chance after starting QB Alex Smith went down with a concussion against St. Louis on November 11th. Although the game ended in a tie, Kaepernick's mobility and athleticism convinced head coach Jim Harbaugh to stick with the 25-year old. The results couldn't have been more surprising or effective. Kaepernick took the 49er's read-option offense to levels unimagined, culminating in an NFL QB-record 181 yards rushing in a playoff win over Green Bay, then demonstrating his versatility by relying on his passing skills in the NFC Championship win over Atlanta.
Before teammate and featured RB Fred Jackson went down with an injury in early December, his backup, C.J. Spiller had had some impressive moments as a nice "change-of-pace" back in the Buffalo Bills offense. Once Spiller was the de facto starter however, he wasted little time in showing the promise that followed him after a standout career at Clemson. The third-year player finished with a career-best 1,244 yards and six TDs in addition to catching 43 passes.
Little more than a return specialist in his rookie season, Green Bay's Randall Cobb took advantage of an injury to WR Greg Jennings to make the 2012 season his "breakout" campaign. Once he gained the trust of QB Aaron Rodgers, the second-year Kentucky product grabbed 80 passes for 954 yards and 8 TDs. As if Rodgers needed any additional weapons, he now has another in the speedy Cobb.
Plagued by injury during his rookie season, Detroit's RB Mikel Leshoure made the most of his opportunity in 2012 by rushing for a team-leading 798 yards and 9 TDs in Detroit's pass-happy attack. Although the Lions had a disappointing season, look for Leshoure to be a major component in 2013 as they seek better offensive balance.
Playing on one of the NFL's weakest offensive units, WR Cecil Shorts was little more than a special-teams standout during his 2011 rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But with team star Maurice Jones-Drew hobbled nearly the entire season, Shorts finally got his shot and didn't disappoint. For the season, the small-college product (Mount Union College) proved he belonged, hauling in 55 passes for 979 yards and 7 TDs.
Before he went down to injury around Thanksgiving, Giants RB Andre Brown had established himself as New York's unquestioned "goal-line" specialist, scoring 8 TDs and amassing a hard-fought 385 yards on just 73 carries. With Ahmad Bradshaw's future in question, the pile-driving Brown, once he recovers, could be their next featured RB.
Seen as little more than "adequate" in his first two NFL seasons, Cincinnati's burly DT Geno Atkins came into his own during the 2012 season. At 6'1 and 300 lbs., the Georgia product led all NFL interior defenders with a career-best 12.5 sacks as well as forcing 4 fumbles. Those impressive numbers were tallied despite missing one game.
Playing opposite teammate Charles Johnson, Carolina's other DE, third-year man Greg Hardy was frequently overlooked. He made a name for himself in 2012 by teaming up with Johnson to record a combined 23.5 sacks, the third-highest total for a tandem in the NFL. Hardy's athleticism and non-stop motor bodes well for the Panthers' future pass rush.
Written by: Don Phan
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